I Will
by jacksparrow589
Summary: A set of Royai drabbles going from episode 51 to maybe beyond the movie. Spoilers abound. T for blood and perhaps language. Inspired by the 4th ending I Will by Sowelu. Discontinued until further notice. Sorry!
1. Stay

Though chest compressions usually keep people alive, Riza was sure that she was pumping more blood _out_ of Roy than _through_ him. Breaths were no better; would the metallic tang of blood –not even her own- ever fade?

"C'mon… Stay with me," she muttered desperately, pausing once again to dry her eyes.

No sooner had she pulled away from the next set of breaths than Roy began to cough up everything from his throat and lungs.

The only energy Riza had left by the time he was done and she was done emptying her own stomach was to roll him over to breathe more easily. She collapsed, letting the hand of her injured arm fall on his, finding his pulse. It was slow, but there. With each slight bump, Riza whispered, "Stay with me."

It seemed so childish to believe that it did anything, but that did not matter. Each beat meant that he clung to life a little longer, and _that_ mattered.

_Staying_ mattered.

**A/N: Actually, if Roy's coughing stuff up, it most likely means that he was given too much air. Panicked people do breathe harder, though, and who **_**wouldn't**_** be panicking? Hell, CPR's probably not the best thing out there since he's bleeding so much (he's lying in a small lake of it when she collapses on him), but if you're going to try to keep someone alive, you're going to do what it takes.**


	2. I Will

When asked for what seemed to be the thousandth time that day if she was still going through with this, Riza's reply remained the same from all the other times: "I will."

"This" was taking Roy Mustang in for rehabilitation.

Really, she was no stranger to saying those words when it came to him, so why should it surprise anyone that now, when he needed it the most, she was saying those words? It made perfect sense to her.

It was not _just_ for Roy, though: it was for her, as well. Knowing that she had almost been too late meant that she owed him. Never mind that she had "saved his ass, and the rest of him, too", as Havoc had put it; the guilt was there, gnawing at her.

Even Roy asked her why she was doing this. Her answer changed little: "I said I would. I need to."

Roy pointed out that the idiot responsible for his injuries was not her, and that it was the way the world worked, despite her protests that because _she_ was not there sooner, he was nearly killed. Though she seemed to concede verbally, Riza started working harder.

There was a reason she had said, "I will."

**A/N: I just couldn't get the wording to flow smoothly. I don't think I'll change it, though. I got what I want to say out, and if I change it, it might do irreparable damage to the meaning of the thing. sighs I just can't win.**


	3. Memory

**Memory**

In the days following Roy's sudden departure to the North, Riza wracked her memory for clues as to why he had done it the way he had. His withdrawal had been very evident and even severe, but she was sure that somehow she would be able to pull him back from the edge. Between herself and Maes, there was always something that could be done, so why had it not worked this time?

She was sure the answer was there, buried in her memories, but thinking about it was quite honestly a painful thing to do.

Was it possible that Roy had been even more depressed than he had let on, and had just hid it? That stubborn idiot never let on what bothered him. He just let it occupy that dark corner that everyone has in their hearts and minds, but it had taken over. Now everyone paid the price.

What _else_ was there, anyway? She was so anxious that her memory was filtering out all the painful moments to give her a break.

Then, when he finally returned, the thought shot to the front of her mind.

_Alchemy_.

She had been so used to him not using it that the possibility that it was rather that he _could not_ use it had never really occurred to her. The thought was a bitter one. That damned alchemy had taken people she had cared about from her, and had taken people that her friends had cared about from them.

_Edward and Alphonse, the Rockbells… it even took __**him **__from me for a while._ She could see where her own memories were leading, and with that, she gained some insight. She was not sure that she wanted to know his side of it, but she had committed herself to him already. Bailing out was not an option, no matter what memories any of them would have to live with later on.

**A/N: Ah! Apologies to those who have been wanting to see this! I know there probably aren't that many of you, but thanks anyway! My parents have been out of town, and I've been with relatives, so I haven't had more time than to go on and type a review or two for any updates that have been made to the stories I've been following. I think this is the second-to-last drabble for this set, because I know there's more English in there, but I can't hear it very well. If anybody knows what the English words are in the background of the chorus, or even where to get them, let me know, and I'll keep on writing! Next up is "For You".**


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